Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Low

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

We took this tour in order to become more acquainted with the University City area and were not disappointed. In addition to learning a lot about the local area and eating some really tasty food, we also had some wonderful conversations with our guide, Kendra.

Ms. Megan B., USA - 18 Mar 2016

Tour snapshot

Combine street food and brain food on this Philadelphia tour that takes in the hallowed halls of academia, the glory of the grand terminal, the worship of college sports, and the fun of food trucking!

Highlights

Experience the best of Philly’s street food in the city’s University City neighborhood

Get to know two of Philly’s major universities through their unique, eclectic, and tasty food trucks

Discover Drexel University’s historic architecture with a local to tell you all about it

Visit the University of Pennsylvania’s iconic sports venues, impressive libraries, and picturesque campus

Inclusions: Local English speaking guide, food from three food trucks, trolley token.

Exclusions: Additional food and drink beyond what is included, items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities for your guide.

Schedule details

Duration: 2.5 Hours

Meeting point:

Inside 30th Street Station, near the center of the station next to the WWII Memorial.

Starting time: 11.00 AM

Ending point:

40th St. Trolley Station - The traveler will be able to ride the trolley (token provided) back to 30th St. or continue into Center City.

FULL ITINERARY

Feed your mind as well as your belly on this Philadelphia city tour that bypasses the usual tourist spots and sends you back to school on the university campuses. Don't worry, there won't be an exam at the end — there'll be food trucks instead!

Your Philadelphia tour begins at the city's largest transportation hub, 30th St. Station. You'll get a glimpse of the fine architecture inside the grand terminal, and be in the midst of the busy intersection of trains, buses, subways and trolleys. We leave the station on foot and begin the journey down Market Street.

Before we make it very far, we’ll stop for a taste of the Caribbean or we'll keep it local, at our first group of food trucks. It’s a bit of a hidden gem here, and you’ll be amazed at the quality of food being produced here.

Just down the road we'll reach Drexel University, where we'll head down one of their new green quads and into the beautiful Main Building, the very first building on Drexel's campus. You'll meander down the hill past World Cafe Live and underneath the highline as trains are passing high above.

From here we enter Penn Park, a brand-new green space with spectacular views of the Philly skyline. After soaking up this panorama, your tour continues over the train tracks and passes by some of the most iconic college sports venues in the country: Franklin Field and the Palestra.

We’ll reach our second group of food trucks just in front of Franklin Field. You’ll also get to experience this chaotic and wonderful food scene during the heart of lunch — a truly local experience!

From there we head to the heart of Penn's campus, the very first public university in the US. We'll take you inside Fisher Library, an architectural masterpiece by Frank Furness. We'll walk by College Hall, Penn's first building on the campus, and go inside Houston Hall, home of America's first Student Union. From there we walk up Locust Walk, arguably the most beautiful city campus setting in the country.

From there, we end up on Spruce Street, where you’ll be treated to something sweet. This is one of the best spots for food trucks in Philly, and a food tour wouldn't be complete without stopping here!

We'll finally arrive at a trolley stop, where your guide will provide a token for each person. This street trolley ride is a unique experience and you'll definitely feel like a Philadelphia local once you've taken a trip on it! From this point, you'll have the option to ride back to 30th St. or continue into the city center.

Need a place to stay?

Heading to Philly without a place to rest your head? Have no fear — the Sheraton Downtown Philadelphia Hotel is ready to welcome you to the City of Brotherly Love! As our preferred accommodation partner in Philadelphia, we recommend grabbing a room there if you haven't already booked any accommodation. Sleep tight!

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English speaking guide, food from three food trucks, trolley token.

Exclusions: Additional food and drink beyond what is included, items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities for your guide.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Closure of sites: Please note that Fisher Library will have restricted access during finals period.

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

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Rating summary

Overall experience

Guide

Local learning

Responsible travel

Met expectations

Ms. Megan B. from USA travelled on 18 Mar 2016

We took this tour in order to become more acquainted with the University City area and were not disappointed. In addition to learning a lot about the local area and eating some really tasty food, we also had some wonderful conversations with our guide, Kendra.